Wheel-flange lubricator



i ,'fflange.

e, i ,"Withthese and Patented Feb. 18, 1930 PATENT Y oFFicE u LESTER :'r. RICKARD, or UMATILLA, OREGON WHEEL-RANGE LUBRICATOR Application filed `Tune 21,

Myy invent-ion relates to improvements in flange lubricators for wheels, and more particularly to' lubricators using grease in stick form designed to lubricate the lianges of railway cars, locomotives, street railway cars and other vehicles running on rails. i The'invention has for anobject to provide an extremely simple and economical device which may be readily'applied to the vehicle and ymay be easilyvand quickly replenished, and by which the lubricant will be' constantly applied to the wheel' flange with an even pressure. 1 r- A further object is to provide a flange lubricator which will thoroughly and constant- `ly lubricate the flanges of the wheels of alocokmotive or car, especially Iwhen the wheels are traveling ony the curved portionsof a track, as `very little, if any, lubrication of the flange i is necessary `whenthev vwheelsare traveling on a straight track.

' A further obj ect; of the invention is to provide a lubricator for the flanges of the wheels which will Aautomatically i feed the .lubricant l V25, directly on the flange of the vwheel in such a manner as to preventthe same fromv flowing yor slopping onto the tread of the wheel, which ywould tend to lessen its tractive power. A further object of the invention is to pro- `30. vide a device which affords convenience in the application ofthe lubricant stick for use and removal'of the operating parts for cleany ing, repairs, etc.

inventionv consistsl in thel novel features of Y construction and arrangement and;combina` 'tion of partshereinafter explained rfand par- Avrticularly defined in the appendedclaims. The invention is illustrated in vthe'accom-. g dpanying drawing showing the lubricator applied to a locomotive, rand in which--r Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a locomotive showing the device applied to actl on a drive wheel of the locomotive; 'Y y v A furtherobject is to provide a lubricanty must be Worn O' as the Stmk feeds Qutfto the? protects the lubricant from dust and rain.

other objects; in view thev 1927. serial No. 200,388.

, Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectionthrough the lubricator proper; f f Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device as applied; v

Figure 4 is a transverse section-as on line 55, 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lubricant stick with the wrapper; f

Figure 6 is a transverse section through the stick and wrapper.

A cylindrical casing 10 formedpreferably of metal open at both ends with an internal shoulder 11 at its front end and a thimble 12 screwed on its opposite end, is adapted to be fixedly but adjustably secured in operative G5: position on a locomotive by a bracket B, which is itself secured to the locomotive by suitable bolts and nuts N the connection between the bracket and casingbeing made by means of suitable clamps G. 70Y

- Fittingwithin-the case 1() to reciprocate longitudinally therethroughand through the perforated thimble 12, is a pipe or tube 13` provided at a suitable distance from the lower end with a collar 14, which is adapted to contact with the internal shoulder 11 to limit its movement in one direction induced by the spring 15 which surrounds the pipe 13, within the casing 10 one end of said spring abutting the collar 14y and the upper end abut- 80 ting a collar 16 held in place within the tube 1() by the nipple or thimble 12.

The lower end of the .pipe ortube 13 is provided with a threaded annular shoe 17 which isadapted to be forced-,by the spring S5 15 to fit the throat flange of the wheel, it being beveled or `rounded off as atl, which .Connected to the upper end of tube 13 by a short coupling nipple 18 is a short tube 19 9o to the outer end of/Which is removably applied,` as by screw threads, lthe'cap 20; this capqis perforated centrally, and suspended therefrom is a suitable bracket 21, havingattached thereto a chain 22 carrying at its low'- 95 er enda follower'weight 23 adapted to bear on the stick of lubricant 24 with a constant pressure as the stick feeds to the throat of wheel flange; the bracket 21 is removably held in the cap 2O by a bolt and nut 26. v 100 the locomotive wheel.

' VThe lubricant stick 27 is of the-hard grease stick of grease in the tube 13, the.. weight 23y holding the grease stick against theflange of The amount of grease used is regulated by the amount of paper that is wrapped around it, as it must wear -ofl thepaperon the stickto get the grease on the flange. Y

' Itis apparent thatl the device may simply comprise the grease tube, with its shoey and collar, the spring, the casing with its internal shoulder 11, and the follower weight but iti iS advisable toy use the nipples, joints, and cap 20, for convenience and. ease of cleaningand replacing of parts.

An advantage in the, presentdevice and the stick of grease is that when a train is stoppedthe grease does not flow down kon the wheel like oil doesl and consequently a puddle does not collect which would render thestarting of the train very difficult.

From the above it will be seen that I pro.- vide a lubricator of few parts and one that f feeds hard grease, or substantially solid lubrication bry a shoe yieldingly held to the throat of the flan-ge of-.the wheel to accommodate itself to any and all movements thereof, the amount of grease usedbeing regulated bythe amount of paper that iswrappedl around it.

It is suggested that in the maintenance ofv the device, that after, each trip that the spring pressed tube be `pulled back and the end looked at t-o see that the grease is .down on they flange; if so the device is in proper working order: if not, unscrew the nipple out of.'V theend and push alsmallf rod in the grease'y andv pull it out. Then take the other end. ofthis rod which may be fiattened out and clean out the pipe down by the shoe as dirt accumulates there and does not feed freely. v Y

When filling do not force the grease inthe allow the greasek to pipe as suchy action may burstthe paperand Do not fill the grease'will stick to the pipe.

` itV full but leave about two inches at the top giving room .for the weight and chain to join without crushing the tube. piece lof grease. after each trip.

It is of course obvious that thisdevicemay. be' fastened to the frame or any other suitable part of locomotives and street cars or thei'like.`

v Having thus fully described my. invention, what I claim: v .v

l.v A wheel flange lubricatingdevice c'om- Y prising in combination, -a'tubular support'- ing casing openk at its opposite ends an'dhavmg an. inner annulark shoulder; at its lower end, a lubricant carryingv tubey freely slidable through said supporting casing and prof vided intermediate its ends, with a stop collar adapted to coact with the said annular shoulj der to limit the outer `movement of the lubri-V cant tube, an annular shoe at the lower end kof the lubricant tube, the upper end of said j lubricant carrying tube provided with a removable closure cap coiled springv meansA surrounding the lubricant carryingtube for controlling the movement of the same, a lubricant pencil having' a paper jacket enclosing .the same, freely slidablefin saidv lubricant carrying tube, the paper jacket preserving the integrity Lof thelubricant 'and preventing sti/cking in the tube', a sliding weight follower in constant'engagement with the upper endY Y of said lubricant pencil, and flexible means.

connecting said, followerlk with ,Y the .closure cap. f'

justably supported ona vehicle, said casi-ng 2. A wheel flan-gel lubricating devicev prising in combination a tubular casing ad-k open atv its` upperand` lower ends, van inter-V74 nal annular shoulder at its lower end and a removable perforated thimble at itsupper. end, a lubricant carrying tubefmounted .in

said casing and Vreciprocable through the;Y thimble and lower end ofthe casing, a collar.`

on said tube adjacent its; lower end and adapted to Contact with the` annu-lar shoulderv to limit the outer movement of said. tube in. said casing,la collar. on said tube adjacentits;

upper endand adjacent the perforatedthimf. ble, a spring 1 surrounding said lubricant carrying tube and bearing at its opposite ends tubular' section detachably connected with the upper end of the lubricant carrying tube and in alinement therewith, a removable cap4 In awheel flange lubricating device, the

combination with a guide casing adapted to'be' adjustably supported obliquely with respect to the flange of a Icar wheel,a;spring pressed tube having Vits upper endV closed, Van Vadj ustable annular shoe atthe lower end of: saidKV i tube, the lower end of said shoe Vbeing bevel'- led and adapted tobe positioned adjacent the y o A throat of the wheel flange, alubricant pencil mounted in saidtube, and means freely slid; ablein Said tubeand' bearingon said lubriv Y cant'pencil and jirgingthesame throughfsaid Y shoe whereby" to .lfubricatev lthe throat of Athe wheel flange, j n l LESTER J. fuloKaRD;

VVViso4 10o against said collars respectivelyasecond 

